The strike by script scribes in Hollywood was something to write home about - unless you were on the picket lines - but now that they seem ready to return to work, the next question becomes: when will your favourite TV shows follow?

The answer is some will and some won't. It will take the networks, mired in reruns and reality shows, weeks to get new programs ready. But the only ones they're likely to bring back are the true hits. Shows on the bubble, whose ratings are less than stellar, probably won't return to the small screen at all this year - if ever.

Normally, the American giants can determine how well a program is faring after just a few airings. But with the schedule in tatters due to the strike and the fact many were forced to hoard the precious few originals left, it's harder to judge who's actually watching and how many eyeballs will stay there after the playing field is level.

So they're hedging their bets and only allowing certified hits to make a return. Expect just 4 to 7 episodes to be made, in some cases not quite enough for a full season but ready for the big May ratings period. Solid hits like Citytv's "Ugly Betty" will be there. But "Chuck" may not continue his spy exploits until next September.

How long it takes to get certain shows back in production depends on a range of factors. Half hour comedies can be ramped up quicker than hour long dramas. Scripts must be written and - because this is network TV - rewritten and rewritten before they get approved. Sets and wardrobes need to be made. Extras and actors have to be hired.

Most producers think it will be at least four weeks for anything to get in the pipeline, and post-production needs - like editing - could extend that deadline even further.

Some shows had scripts in development when the halt came in November. They have a distinct advantage. One, like "Criminal Minds", was almost ready to go with two stories before the plug was pulled. "We didn't have to break down our sets," explains co-executive producer Chris Mundy. "We're luckier than most."

But don't expect to see any more heroics on "Heroes". The complex technical nature of the show may make it impossible to get it back on the air this year.

And the after-effects could last all the way into the new season. Pilot scripts and episodes have also been delayed by the walkout, leaving the networks unable to choose what will go to air next fall.

Despite all that, you might just want to stay tuned. Because the off-camera drama may just prove to be more interesting than anything TV can show you itself.